Carburetor vapor superheater

ABSTRACT

FOR MORE COMPLETE COMBUSTION IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES, A SWIRL CHAMBER IS SUPPLIED IN THE FUEL LINE BETWEEN THE FUEL SUPPLY VESSEL AND THE CARBURETOR VENTURI. THE CHAMBER IS CIRCULAR AT THE BOTTOM AND HAS AN INVERTED FUNNEL-SHAPED TOP, THE TIP HAVING A CONDUIT LINE LEADING TO THE VENTURI. A FUEL PIPE LEADING FROM THE SUPPLY VESSEL EXTENDS THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE CHAMBER, SEALED THERETO, THE TOP FO THE CHAMBER HWERE IT IS BENT SHARPLY DOWNWARD TO EXTEND AXIALLY TO A CLOSED END AT THE CHAMBER FLOOR. THE CLOSED END HAS A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THEREAROUND THROUGH THE PIPE WALL, EACH OPENING BEING INCLINED FROM RADIALLY TOWARD TANGENTIALLY IN THE SAME SENSE FROM THE RADICAL FOR IMPARTING A CIRCULARLY SWIRLING MOTION TO THE EMITTED GAS WHICH IS DRAWN UPWARD BY SUCTION AT THE VENTURI INCREASING IN VELOCITY AS IT NEARS THE   CHAMBER TOP. THE HELICALLY SWIRLING GAS AT THE TOP HEATS THE TOP OF THE FUEL PIPE AND SUPERHEATS THE VAPOR DRAWN TO THE VENTURI. FOR INCREASED VACUUM AT STARTING AND FOR HEAVY ENGINE LOADING A HIGH VACUUM CARBURETOR IS USED HAVING A PAIR OF VENTURIS, A PAIR OF SWIRL CHAMBERS BEING PROVIDED, EACH CHAMBER BEING CONNECTED TO A RESPECTIVE VENTURI, AND WITH VALVE MEANS IN THE CARBURETOR FOR SHUTTING OFF THE AIR FLOW THROUGH ONE OF THE VENTURIS.

y 1972 F. A. JORDAN 3,664,646

' CARBURE'IOR VAPOR SUPERHEA'I'ER Filed Dec. 2 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

2 FREDERICK A. JORDAN BY y 3, 1972 F. A. JORDAN CARBURETOR VAPORSUPEHHEATER 2 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Dec. 2 1970 INVENTOR, FREDERICK A.JORDAN A ena;

"United States Patent O1 lice Patented May 23, 1972 3,664,646 CARBURETORVAPOR SUPERHEATER Frederick A. Jordan, R.D. Madrid Road, Potsdam, N.Y.13676 Filed Dec. 2, 1970, Ser. No. 94,316 Int. Cl. F02rn 15/02 US. Cl.261-23 R 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For more completecombustion in internal combustion engines, a swirl chamber is suppliedin the fuel line between the fuel supply vessel and the carburetorventuri. The chamber is circular at the bottom and has an invertedfunnel-shaped top, the top having a conduit line leading to the venturi.A fuel pipe leading from the supply vessel extends through the floor ofthe chamber, sealed thereto, to the top of the chamber where it is bentsharply downward to extend axially to a closed end at the chamber floor.The closed end has a plurality of openings therearound through the pipewall, each opening being inclined from radially toward tangentially inthe same sense from the radial for imparting a circularly swirlingmotion to the emitted gas which is drawn upward by suction at theventuri increasing in velocity as it nears the chamber top. Thehelically swirling gas at the top heats the top of the fuel pipe andsuperheats the vapor drawn to the venturi. For increased vacuum atstarting and for heavy engine loading a high vacuum carburetor is usedhaving a pair of venturis, a pair of swirl chambers being provided, eachchamber being connected to a respective venturi, and with valve means inthe carburetor for shutting off the air flow through one of theventuris.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the art ofinducing cyclonic flow of a fluid and relates more particularly to aswirl chamber between fuel supply and carburetor venturi in internalcombustion engines.

Broadly, the invention concerns inducing cyclonic or swirling flow offluids and increasing the velocity thereof for separating the liquid andgaseous components of a fluid such as gasoline. More particularly itconcerns such separation in the fuel line of an internal combustionengine between the gas tank or other fuel supply vessel and the carburetor venturi for insuring a more perfect combustion of the fuel tothe end that pollution of the air with carbon monoxide and unburnedhydrocarbons in the exhaust from the engine is drastically reduced.

It is wel known that unvaporized fuel in most carburetors reaches theintake manifold and that the distance of the carburetor from the variouscylinders of the engine results in an air-fuel ratio varying fromcylinder to cylinder. These carburetor difficulties result, usually, inan airfuel setting which is richer than that" theoretically required forcomplete combustion of the fuel in the engine.

It is the principal object of the present invention, therefore, toprovide means in the fuel line to ensure that the liquid fuel iscompletely vaporized before it is mixed with air in the carburetor sothat a more complete combustion may take place in the cylinders of theengine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A swirl chamber is provided in the fuel lineprior to its entrance to the carburetor. The fuel is fed by vacuum inthe chamber from the fuel tank or other vessel, such as a float tank,through a pipe which extends up through the floor of the chamber to itstop where the pipe is sharply bent downward to extend axially downwardto its end at the floor of the chamber. This end of the pipe is closedbut has a plurality of apertures or holes in the wall of the pipe nearthe closed end. These holes are drilled at an angle to the radial forsetting up a circular or swirling action in the chamber of the gaseousfuel emitted by the holes.

The chamber is round to aid in the setting up of this swirling actionand has an inverted funnel-shaped top terminating in a tube which leadsto the fuel jet at the venturi in the carburetor. Suction from thecarburetor venturi draws the swirling gas upward in a helically swirlingmanner, the cone-shaped top of the chamber causing the gas to proceed atgreater and greater velocity as it nears the top.

As liquid gasoline first rises in the tube its vapor expandslongitudinally and its density decreases. This low density vapor createsminimal turbulence as it fiows around the sharp bend at the top of thechamber. As more gasoline is drawn up the tube, the density of the vaporincreases inducing higher turbulence at the bend, developing a backpressure at the bend suflicient to hold back the liquid gasoline inequilibrium at a point just below the bend. The sharp bend acts as avalve which restricts vapor flow at high engine speeds and high vacuum,but allows vapor flow in proportion at low vacuum and low speeds.

As the gaseous fuel emitted by the holes at the end of the pipe startsits rotary motion, low pressure in the chamber induces the attainment ofhigh angular velocity and allows the vapor to expand to lower pressureand temperature. Contact between the wall of the chamber and the highvelocity vapor creates friction which heats the wall, the vapor, and thetube.

Revolving up into the funnel or tapered top of the chamber, the angularmomentum of the vapor remains constant but since the radius of the topis continually shortening an increased angular velocity is produced.Here again friction supplies heat to the gasoline evaporating in thepipe and the rotating gaseous fuel itself is superheated as it flows tothe venturi.

As noted above the vapor is lowered in pressure and temperature as itflows through the holes in the end of the pipe and then its temperatureis raised by friction, only moderate heat being required to superheat itand the final temperature of the vapor being relatively low.

The air at the venturi can be heated to a higher temper-ature than thisrelatively low superheated vapor, if required.

To ensure that a low level of negative pressure is maintained in thechamber at all times, a pair of chambers are used, each connected to adifferent venturi in a doubleventuri carburetor, the air flow past oneof the venturi being controlled by a valve which may be closed whenstarting the engine or when the engine is under heavy load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview of a pair of swirl chambers according to the invention, a portionof the fuel inlet pipe of one chamber being broken away to show theliquid fuel level in the pipe;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one chamber on the line 22 of .FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the end of the fuel pipe shown in FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a twovtnturi carburetor usedwith the swirl chambers of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, two swirlchambers 10 are shown supported in framework 11. The chambers 10 areidentical each having a floor or bottom 12, a circular sidewall 13 andan inverted funnel-shaped top 14. Each has a fuel pipe 15 leading fromthe gasoline tank or other fuel vessel, such as a float vessel. "Pipe 15passes through the bottom 12, in sealed relation therewith at 16, passesupward and then alongside the top 14 to a point near the top of thechamber where it has a sharp bend 17. From the bend 17 the pipe extendsdownward axially of the chamber to the 'bottom of the chamber where ithas a closed end 18. The pipe may be of brass and has a plurality ofholes or drilled openings 19 therethrough drilled at an incline to theradical so they are slanted toward the tangential, all in the same sensefrom the radical as best seen in FIG. 3.

Since they are all slanted in the same sense, fuel vapor or gas drawnfrom the pipe 15 is given a circular or swirling motion around the lowerportion of chamber 10 as is common for such swirl chambers.

At the top of each chamber 10 an outlet 20 is connected by a tube 21,shown in broken lines, to a jet 22 of a double-venturi carburetor 23shown in FIG. 4.

Carburetor 23 is connected at 24 to the intake manifold of an internalcombustion engine, not shown, and suction from the engine draws air pastthe two venturis 25 from an air intake 26. Air intake 26 has aconventional butterfly choke valve 27 thereat and the outlet at 24 hasthe usual butterfly throttle valve 28 thereat. A third valve 29 islocated so as to close off, as shown in broken lines, the passagebetween one of the venturis 25 and the air intake 26.

Valve 29 may be operated, manually or automatically by mechanism notshown, to close off one venturi and the operation of one swirl chamber10 for starting or for operation under a heavy load when very highvacuum is needed at the other swirl chamber 10.

The chamber 10 operates under high vacuum and the swirling gas from theopenings 19 is drawn upward helically toward outlet 20. The swirlingvapor has an angular momentum which tends to remain constant. The top 14of the chamber is tapered, however, so that the vapor is swirled at aconstantly shortening radius as it rises resulting in a very highrotative speed at the top of the chamber.

The swirling vapor, by friction with the walls and top of the chamberand with pipe 15, heats the swirling gas and also pipe 15, thus aidingin the vaporization of the fuel in the pipe. Suction in the chamber 10draws vapor from pipe 15 which results in liquid fuel being drawn uptoward the bend 17. The rising fluid fuel creates a higher density ofvapor at the bend 17 and a higher and higher turbulence at the bendwhich develops a back pressure sufiicient to hold back fluid gasoline ata level short of the bend and shown at 30 in the right hand chamber 10in FIG. 1. In effect the sharp bend at 17 acts as a valve restrictingvapor flow at high engine speeds and high vacuum, but allowing vaporflow in proportion at low vacuum and low speeds.

The bend 17 thus acts to impede vapor flow enough to hold back theliquid gasoline. Moreover, the gasoline vapor temperature and pressureare lowered in the chamber 10 and the vapor can then be superheated atrelatively low temperatures. At the venturi 25, the dry vapor can bemixed with air which is at a higher temperature than the so-calledsuperheated vapor. This results in more complete combustion in theengine cylinders and ability of the engine to run at a leaner mixturesetting with consequent lessening of pollustion of the air at the engineexhaust.

I claim:

1. A suction operated swirl chamber for complete vaporization of thegasoline flowing from the fuel supply vessel to the carburetor venturiof an internal combustion engine, comprising: a closed circular chamberhaving an axially extending fuel pipe leading from the supply vessel tothe lower portion of the chamber, the pipe having a closed end and aplurality of outlet openings therearound through the wall of the pipe,the openings each extending inclined from radially toward tangentiallyin the same sense from the radial for imparting a circularly swirlingmotion to the emitted gas, the top of the chamber being invertedfunnel-shaped inclined inward toward the top, and a gas line leadingfrom the chamber top to the carburetor venturi, whereby the gas emittedfrom the pipe is given a heat producing helically swirling motionincreasing in velocity as it moves toward the top of the swirl chamber.

2. The swirl chamber defined in claim 1 having the fuel pipe extendingupward within the chamber to the top and then bent sharply downward andextending axially downward to the bottom of the chamber, whereby heatfrom the swirling gas is transferred to the fuel in the pipe and thesharp pipe bend creates a turbulence zone tending to keep liquid fuelfrom the downwardly extending portion of the pipe.

3. In combination with a pair of swirl chambers defined in claim 2, ahigh suction carburetor having two venturis, the venturis beingconnected respectively to the gas lines from the chambers, thecarburetor having a single air inlet and a single outlet to the internalcombustion engine, and carburetor valve means for selectively cuttingofi the flow of air from the air inlet to the carburetor outlet past oneof the venturis, whereby high suction is maintained for starting and forheavy engine load conditions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,131 9/1903 Weaver 261-79 R1,233,557 7/1917 Curtis 261-79 R 1,752,506 4/1930 Portail 261-79 R2,011,997 8/1935 Cameron 261-79 R 3,227,427 1/1966 Wells et a1. 48-102 R3,530,844 9/1970 Kawai 261-79 R 3,599,941 8/1971 Becker 261-79 R TIM R.MIIJES, Primary Examiner U.'S. Cl. X.R.

261-79 R, 64 R; 48-102 R; 122-4 R; 123-119 R

